(CNS): Amendments to Section 2 traffic law If passed by Congress, it would cut the amount of alcohol people can consume before they get behind the wheel by about a third. The bill, which was made public on Thursday, is due to be submitted to parliament next month. A Cayman Islands driver is now allowed to have her 100 milligrams of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood. This is he one of the most generous alcohol restrictions in the world for drivers. In the proposed amendment, he would reduce it to 70 mg of alcohol, or from 0.1% to he 0.07%.
The change could move Cayman from one of the world’s most permissive countries on drunk driving to one that is stricter than the UK, US, Canada and Jamaica, which have a 0.8% limit, but still not that strict. There is none. Ireland, Germany and France with a limit of 0.05%, or Norway and Sweden with the world’s lowest level of 0.02%.
The proposed amendment, which is open for public comment next month, comes in a year when Cayman suffered a record number of lives lost on local roads and a significant number of drunk driving accidents. it was done. Last year, his 312 were arrested for DUI, a 37% increase for him since 2020, but the trend is even worse this year.
RCIPS Deputy Superintendent Brad Ebanks, Overall Head of the Transportation Unit, said: Monday Fueled by speeding and booze, the Cayman has a dangerous road safety record. “We are seeing an alarming number of people driving at excessive speeds and seeing the consequences of that decision,” he said. “When you go faster, you are much more likely to be involved in a crash, and the consequences of a crash are much more likely to be severe or fatal. Add alcohol to the mix, and the consequences are even more likely.” Become.”
The government hopes lowering the legal limit on alcohol will signal that drunk driving is unacceptable and change the culture of tolerance for drunk driving. The release says it aims to increase deterrence against drunk driving.
The bill does not increase penalties for convicted offenders, leaving a $1,000 fine or up to six months in prison and a 12-month driving ban for first offenses. Repeat offenders face fines of up to $2,000 or one year in prison and loss of license.
Last November, Prime Minister Wayne Panton announced plans to lower drinking-while-driving limits to address an unacceptably serious road safety problem. The bill follows public debate on the deployment of road safety improvements and reductions.
“The PACT government said it was committed to addressing a surprisingly high level of road safety issues across the island,” Panton said. “As a society, we have become too tolerant of drunk driving and too many lives have been lost. We will continue to implement measures to encourage it.”
He said a traffic law review board has been set up, which is likely to lead to further legislative changes in the future. There is a possibility,” added the Prime Minister.
